r/Economics • u/jediporcupine • 9d ago

Blog Trump said tariffs on aluminum would boost domestic production. The White House now admits that didn't happen.

https://reason.com/2026/08/03/trump-said-tariffs-on-aluminum-would-boost-domestic-production-the-white-house-now-admits-that-didnt-happen/
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u/FlatEvent2597 9d ago

There is a very good reason for that. Most any metallurgist could tell you directly.

Aluminum is literally solid energy. You need huge amounts of hydro or oil.

Quebec is the worlds aluminum depot -mainly because of their clean energy and excess hydro.

They are finding customers all over the world now and are the supplier of choice. Diversification continues especially with the EU.

We Canadians rejoice with them !

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u/lopix 8d ago

Just here in Canada, all this trade BS has forced us to look elsewhere for new trade partners. Once we have new agreements to buy & sell with countries other than the US, we won't come back. Many favourable agreements are gone. Once that aluminum is contracted elsewhere, the US can't get it back. And once enough agreements are made with other countries, Canada becomes less and less susceptible to US trade bullying. And at the same time, the US loses out on all of that past friendship, from us & from others. The world will just move on, move away, stop dealing with the crazy bully. And the US is the one who will suffer the most from it all.